Heavy rains returned to Chandigarh on Tuesday, but relief wasn't really the right word to describe the downpour, which led to miserable traffic and worsened power problems across the UT.

Heavy rains returned to Chandigarh on Tuesday, but relief wasn't really the right word to describe the downpour, which led to miserable traffic and worsened power problems across the UT.

Commuters battled waterlogging and traffic jams through the three-hour spell starting around 8.30am, as the strike by the UT Powermen Union ensured that traffic signals which failed remained non-functional. Traffic cops were nowhere to be seen on major points.

Particularly, commuters had a harrowing time at the Matka Chowk, the Sector-16 cricket stadium roundabout, the Sector-17 ISBT roundabout, the Sector 22-35 junction and the Sector-26 grain market, where vehicle movement was affected for at least 30 minutes as roads remained inundated. It didn't quite help matters that it was office time.

The rain was measured at 22.4mm for the 24 hours ending Tuesday evening. The mercury was three notches to settle at 33.4 degrees Celsius maximum, while the minimum temperature came down by around two notches to 27.6 degrees from 29 recorded on Monday.

The humidity hovered between 70% and 90% but the downpour meant sky remained clear later in the day. The weathermen said there would be generally cloudy sky and rains and thundershowers on Wednesday.

"Similar weather conditions are likely to remain for a few more days. And rain spells may increase in the days to come," said Surender Paul, director, meteorological department, Chandigarh. The maximum temperature, the Met predicted, would be around 31 on Wednesday.